TheA RaptorsA are hiring assistantA Nick NurseA as their new head coach, according to ESPNa€™s Adrian Wojnarowski, who reports (via Twitter) that the two sides are finalizing the details of a contract. The report comes on the heels of Marc Stein of The New York Times (Twitter link) writing of a a€œgrowing expectation in NBA coaching circlesa€ that Nurse would be Torontoa€™s pick.

A reportA earlier this weekA indicated that Torontoa€™s decision would likely come down to Nurse and Spurs assistantA Ettore Messina, who was meeting with the team for a second time about its head coaching vacancy. Nurse, a top assistant under former head coachA Dwane Casey, had beenA considered a frontrunnerA throughout the process.